LOWA Zephyr MID TF - justifiably popular trekking boots from the German company LOWA, designed for both daily urban use, and crossed light and medium complexity.
My acquaintance with trekking shoes began with the Columbia Winter Track, then there were Columbia Talus Ridge and Columbia Hell’s Peak. Later, the idea came up to try LOWA, and I honestly honestly have no desire to return to Columbia after it. Everything is visible and the truth is known in comparison.
LOWA Zephyr is by far one of the most common hiking boot models used by climbers, professional athletes, outdoor enthusiasts, military and law enforcement officials around the world. Far from the last role in this was played by their comfort, protection and competent selection of materials.
LOWA Zephyr is already not just a model, but, perhaps, a family of boots, as they are offered in several colors (Black, Sage (Foliage), Desert (Khaki)), shaft heights (high, mid and low if Zephyr 2 boots are also included in the line), as well as with and without GORE-TEX membrane lining.
For ease of understanding and selection, the following are the main variable characteristics, as well as their labeling:
I will only make a reservation that the reviewed boots are not new, but were purchased last spring. After the purchase, the shoes departed as daily shoes right up to the first snow, which fell, if memory serves, in November. I also note that I rarely use public transport, because I pass, on average, about 150 km. per month. The main types of coating: asphalt, gravel and soil. Therefore, from the photo you can easily judge what will happen to your LOWA after a similar mileage and conditions of use.
For myself, I chose the LOWA Zephyr MID TF model in Sage (Foliage) color without a membrane, which I will talk about in today's review. The production facilities of LOWA, by the way, are located in Slovakia, from the conveyors of which these shoes also came off.
The main material of LOWA Zephyr MID TF boots is suede with a thickness of 1.4-1.6 mm, complemented by Cordura at the top of the boot. The use of cordura effectively reduces weight, while providing the boots with a sufficient margin of safety. The laces are fixed using six pairs of loops, three of which are made of nylon slings and 3 are made of metal quick lace type loops, which contributes to quick and easy lacing. Due to the fact that the laces are held in fabric loops by the force of friction, they do not slip and provide reliable fixation of the shoe on the foot.
The tongue of the boots is completely sewn on all sides and along the entire length. Such firmware provides reliable protection against ingress of external moisture, dust and dirt into the boots.
The LOWA Zephyr MID TF sock is equipped with a special outsole that wraps around the upper part of the boot, while protecting the suede from dirt, damage and premature wetting. This sock will be appreciated by those who often have to kneel, as in LOWA Zephyr MID TF you can directly run into this place.
A distinctive feature of the LOWA Zephyr boots, the stiffeners of the patented Monowrap system, is clearly visible in the photo on the side. A kind of business card LOWA, which also played a significant role in the popularization of this model line. This system is a part of the sole, which increases the grip area when moving on an inclined surface (for example, along a slope), protects the foot from side impacts, dislocations, and additionally supports the foot while having a positive effect on comfort. Thanks to her, with tight lacing, the shoe is more firmly and more rigidly attached to the foot while maintaining good flexibility.
The height of the LOWA Zephyr MID TF boots is 14.5 cm, which is enough for a good fixation of the ankle joint and its further protection against dislocations and displacements. The Climate Control mesh with damper lining provides a good fit and breathability in the diameter of the neck. In the upper part of the tongue, there is an additional damper designed to reduce discomfort and rubbing the feet with tight lacing of the boots. Well, these dampers can be seen in the photo below.
Around the heel there is reinforcement of the sole, designed to protect the user's foot, as well as partially distribute energy and absorb shock loads on the foot. This will be especially relevant for long walking and / or cargo transportation.
During the use of the LOWA Zephyr MID TF, small scuffs appeared on the inside of the heel. The scale of this phenomenon is much smaller than on shoes of other manufacturers that I had to wear.
The inner plane completely repeats the outer side of the boots and is also protected by a Monowrap crate.
The LOWA Cross sole has a multilayer structure and moderately aggressive tread, it clings well to the surface (especially the ground). True, it’s not worth waiting for some supernatural properties, because The boot was originally invented for rough and light terrain. When the first snow falls, the LOWA Zephyr MID TF sole slips noticeably, which, in principle, is not surprising since boots are positioned as demi-season (3 season).
As you can see, during use, the sole is slightly frayed on the outside of the heel, which is associated, first of all, with the individual style of wearing shoes. I admit that the soles of all the shoes that I wore earlier were worn down in this place - I can see that I walk this way, and there’s no getting around it. In fairness, I note that on the LOWA Zephyr MID TF, the damage in this place is much less compared to the shoes in which I spent about the same time \ mileage. Despite the abrasion, the sole goes a long time, because so far no cracks or other defects have been observed.
Thanks to this abrasion, in the photo above, it is also possible to see the polyurethane midsole, which is hidden between the insole and the sole and acts as the main shock absorber, making the LOWA Zephyr MID TF so comfortable. In addition, this effect is enhanced by the anatomical three-layer insoles with the LOWA Climate Control system, which perfectly support the foot and remove moisture.
So, the main changes \ features of LOWA Zephyr MID TF, noticed during use:
- Abrasion of shoelaces (see photo). Probably the most damaging place for shoes, in principle, because there is nothing global, because replacing shoelaces with LOWA or paracord is not a problem.
- Abrasion of the inside of the heel. It is characteristic of my manner of walking and not as large as in other boots. We must pay tribute to LOWA - the boots are very high quality and do not crumble.
- Abrasion of the sole on the outside of the heel (see photo). Also connected with the manner of walking and the main type of surface, which for these boots was asphalt.
- Slight color change of suede. This is mainly due to wet shoes and nowhere else to do this. Also, in my opinion, not critical. I note that LOWA Zephyr MID TF is quite interesting to get wet and dry. Because surrounded by a high plastic sole throughout the boot, the LOWA Zephyr MID TF holds wet asphalt and even puddles of medium depth. Despite the fact that the boots do not have a GORE-TEX membrane, they get wet mainly through the cordura located behind the laces. Therefore, if possible, do not be too lazy to treat this place with water-repellent compounds. Suede soaks longer, but dries faster. Because of this, wet shoes dry up and down, which for me personally is quite unusual.
Despite these changes, the LOWA Zephyr MID TF still has enough survivability and will serve me for more than one season. It is possible that you will learn about this in further publications on these boots.
A source: secretsquirrel.com.ua
Author: secretsquirrel.com.ua
